Koreans may Build Airfield in Iraq

The President of Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) has said that Iraq has proposed building a new airfield in the southern part of the country.

“Iraqi authorities suggested the need for a military airbase for the new jets, and although no deal has been signed, KAI expressed a desire to pursue talks on this matter,” Ha Sung-yong (pictured) said.

He added that the new airfield would be used as a base for the 24 FA-50 light attack fighters that it has agreed to sell Iraq last December in a deal worth US$1.1 billion (1.3 trillion Iraqi dinars).

The aircraft have already been paid for and will be delivered from 2015 through 2016.

The KAI’s chief said that more detailed negotiations on the airfield will take place in August.

According to a report from Yonhap, the KAI would likely go into Iraq in cooperation with a builder to construct the airfield, which may be worth $600-700 million.

“Building the airfield is not hard, although setting up related facilities and systems to control aircraft requires know-how that KAI can share,” the CEO said.